KARTE - Dona Gateway

Karte is a little but very homely village which rather than being important in its own right is important because of where it leads to, Nachai and Dona Lake. And while there are few signboards showing its importance, Nachai is one of the oldest and culturally the most important settlement in this region along with Tilche and Tachai higher up. Actually, the whole region before Manang- bhot or Nyeshang is called Gyasumdo which is variously translated as the meeting point of three rivers, three trade routes, and even three big villages. And Nachai is one of them. If you have time and have a heart for true adventure, a quick jaunt to Nachai should be worthwhile.

Also, the little signboards are also deceiving when it comes to the importance of Dona Lake. This glacial lake located at about 4,000 meters (falsely reported as 4,700 meters in a lot of places) is 2.2 kilometer across which is about half the size of Phewa lake in Pokhara! Now imagine a lake of that size right at the feet of the amazing Manaslu. There you have it, a little piece of heaven. However, if you do decide to take this trip, we suggest you consult thoroughly with someone at Karte, take a knowledgeable local guide along with rations. It takes about 2 days to get to this lake so you might also want to factor that in. Good luck!!